CivicSD's role expanded citywide

All former redevelopment projects now under agency's control

The historic North Park Theater has been sold. Its new owners plan to increase the venue's capacity and the number of concerts and movies held there. They also plan to offer food and drink service to patrons in the venue.
— Gerald McClard

The historic North Park Theater has been sold. Its new owners plan to increase the venue's capacity and the number of concerts and movies held there. They also plan to offer food and drink service to patrons in the venue.
— Gerald McClard

Civic San Diego, formed in June to take over downtown and Southeastern San Diego redevelopment efforts, added 11 other areas to its portfolio Monday.

The areas covered are: Barrio Logan, City Heights, College Grove, Crossroads (taking in eastern El Cajon Boulevard, University Avenue, College Avenue and other nearby corridors), Grantville, Linda Vista, the former Naval Training Center in Point Loma, North Park, North San Diego Bay (taking in Pacific Highway, Morena Boulevard and parts of Loma Portal and Clairemont), San Diego State University area and San Ysidro.

Mayoral aide David Graham, who has been coordinating the transition, said CivicSD will assume control as of Dec. 1.

The City Council action to expand CivicSD's purview came on the heels of a year-long transition to a post-redevelopment era.

As of Feb. 1, the state dissolved redevelopment agencies, including San Diego's, and property taxes are no longer automatically diverted to eliminate blight and promote economic and neighborhood development in designated areas.

Adding the remaining redevelopment project areas to CivicSD's responsibilities has always been planned. But the shift was delayed as the mayor's office negotiated with city labor unions on personnel issues. All of the former employees who handled redevelopment have moved to different city positions or left the city government.

CivicSD President Jeff Graham, unrelated to David Graham, said he plans to hire two project managers to oversee the public improvements in the 11 new areas — ranging from rebuilt sidewalks to parks.

While CivicSD will continue to act as the review agency for development projects in downtown, but regular city departments will continue to have planning and building permit oversight for all the others. CivicSD also has limited economic development responsibilities.

CivicSD's nine-member board currently includes members familiar with downtown and Southeastern San Diego revitalization needs. Many of its decision still need ratification by the council.

In answer to a question from Councilman David Alvarez, David Graham said the board could become more representative of the added areas as incoming Mayor Bob Filner and the council move to fill vacancies.

The amount of upgrades in all the affected neighborhoods is somewhat in doubt, Graham acknowledged, because the state has questioned millions of dollars in leftover redevelopment spending for numerous projects under way or in the works.

The state also declared the city's $8 billion, 30-year redevelopment project list as in violation of the state redevelopment wind-down law.

If the list is confirmed, the city could continue to divert property taxes from the affected areas for those projects -- and the state would have to backfill the tax losses to school districts.

It was that "backfill' that prompted the state to end redevelopment as a way to close its chronic budget deficit gap.

David Graham said the state and city are due to review those objections Thursday with a final ruling expected by mid-December.

Jeff Graham said any continuing disagreement with the state could end up in litigation.